All proceeds go to improving the lives of those sufferers and families who are affected.

One of the runners who plans to participate in the race for the first time is Meghan de St. Aubin of Woodstock.

After beginning a fitness routine while in college at Kennesaw State University, de St. Aubin ran the Peachtree Road Race July 4, then immediately started looking for another opportunity to challenge herself.

“I ran two miles one day without stopping and I couldn’t believe it because it was never something I could do before,” she said. “So I decided to take on a challenge.”

“It was intense,” she said about the July 4 race. Since she began her fitness journey a year and a half ago, de St. Aubin said she’s lost 50 pounds.

She said she was looking for a local race so she could continue to challenge herself, and the Woodstock Tusk Run provided the opportunity to participate in a trail run.

“I was looking for a race that was local to challenge myself,” De St. Aubin said.

“It’s a trail run, and I’ve never done one of those before.”

While not necessarily more challenging than the 10K Peachtree Road Race, de St.

Aubin said the Tusk Run looks more fun. To her, fitness has become a way of life, she said, and she built up endurance by running daily without stopping. “It’s transformed my life,” de St. Aubin said “It’s nice when you discover you have a passion for something you thought once to be an impossible activity.”

The fact that her participation in the race helps the charity in the process was a bonus, she said.

V.I.P. registration is available for $50, where runners enjoy reserved parking, a gift card to Mammoth Detail and “premium swag,” according to active.com.

Custom plaques will be awarded to the first, second and third place male and female runners in each age category and $100 will be awarded to the first place male and female, based off of gun time as per USA Track and Field rules.

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